Mousse Goes Home to the Country
by Roseheartwhitefox
Summary: Alternate version of the episode "Mousse Goes Home to the Country." Set after Mousse tells Ranma that he is giving up on Shampoo. What if his parting words made Shampoo have a change of heart?


"Hey, didn't you get enough?" Ranma spat defensively as Mousse approached him.

To his surprise, Mousse didn't attack him. He took off his glasses, his deep blue eyes full of sadness. "She's all yours, Ranma Saotome."

"Mousse?" said Shampoo in surprise. She had not expected for Mousse to ever say those words.

"It's over. I'm giving her up, going back home, and getting on with my life." Mousse said with despair, staring at the ground.

"You're going all the way back to China?" asked Ranma, somewhat confused.

"Don't try to stop me." said Mousse.

"Oh, we no stop you. Have safe trip, okay? _Sayonara!"_ Shampoo said nonchalantly, waving goodbye to Mousse. Those words hit Mousse like a kick in the gut, and it showed on his face.

"Well then, I'll be going." Mousse said. Ranma had never seen such a look of defeat on the man's face before. This was _Mousse_ \- the guy who didn't know when to quit!

"Okay! _Bye bye!"_ Shampoo said as she waved, unaffected whatsoever by the fact that Mousse was leaving.

Ranma felt himself taken aback at the sorrow on Mousse's face. "Wow...drop us a line, huh?" said Ranma, but Mousse didn't reply.

_"Bye bye!"_ said Cologne and Shampoo together as they waved. Mousse turned away, looking back in longing, and began to walk down the alleyway, holding his head down in defeat.

There was a moment of silence. "Well...I guess that's it then." said Ranma, scratching the back of his head. However, Mousse stopped in his tracks, and sharply turned around, staring Ranma straight in the eye.

_"No! No, that's not it!"_ said Mousse sternly, furrowing his eyebrows. "Listen, Saotome, you better treat this lady like a queen. Because you, my friend, you found yourself the perfect woman."

"Look, Mousse, I think you've got the wr-"

Mousse was now face to face with Ranma, holding his shoulders as he desperately tried to say what he needed. "You are a lucky man, Ranma Saotome. If I was _ever_ so lucky to find the perfect woman, I'd give her flowers every day. And not just any flowers, okay? Her favorites are _orchids_. White. And breakfast in bed. Two slices of wheat toast, with butter on both sides. Plum jelly, the way she likes it."

Shampoo stared in awe at Mousse as he spoke from his heart. She had never seen Mousse so assertive in her entire life. Ranma also seemed shocked at Mousse's sudden dominance, and Mousse was desperately gripping onto Ranma's arms as he spoke.

"I'd be her shoulder to cry on and her _best_ friend. And I'd spend every day thinking of how to make her laugh. She has the most, _most_ amazing laugh," Mousse paused, gazing tenderly at Shampoo. "I mean, that's what I would do if I were you. But I'm not, _so you do it." _Mousse said, emphasizing those final words. Mousse let go of Ranma, tucked his hands inside his robes, and turned back down the alleyway. This time, he didn't look back as he walked away.

Ranma, Cologne, and Shampoo stared at Mousse as he walked off. There was a deep silence as a crowd of girls slowly congregated behind them. They stared for a moment until a voice spoke from the group of girls.

"That...was _beautiful!"_ said one of the girls, and the group gazed at Mousse in awe as he walked away.

Shampoo stared at Mousse as he walked away, his hair blowing gently in the wind. His words had taken her off guard, and hit her deeper than she had ever expected. For the first time in her life, she found herself feeling regret at the way she had treated her friend.

"Well, now that's settled, I better get a move on," said Cologne without concern. "Don't forget to lock up tonight, Shampoo. I expect the chores to be done once I get back from my little getaway."

Shampoo nodded. She had forgotten great-grandmother would be out of town for the next several days.

"Well, I look forward to seeing more of you, son-in-law," said Cologne happily. "You two have a splendid evening." Cologne vanished with a 'swoosh' of her staff. Ranma sighed in relief.

Shampoo walked alongside Ranma for some time as they headed back to the dojo. The sight of the broken-hearted Mousse walking away was still fresh in her mind, refusing to stop replaying itself. Shampoo felt a tightness in her chest at the memory, remembering Mousse's final kind words. Why was she feeling like this about stupid _Mousse_, of all people? For crying out loud, Mousse was gone, and she was with Ranma. This was exactly the way she had wanted it. And yet, she didn't feel as satisfied as she thought she would. Shampoo came to a stop, holding her hand up to her chest.

"Ranma?" said Shampoo.

"Yeah?" Ranma replied as he stopped.

"Do Ranma...do Ranma know what Shampoo favorite food?" Shampoo asked inquisitively.

"Uhh..." replied Ranma nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Course I do! It's..." Ranma stumbled with his words. "Dim sum?"

Shampoo sighed in disappointment. Her favorite food was pork buns. For some reason, her heart sank at the fact that Ranma _didn't_ know such a minuscule detail about her. After all, Mousse knowing all those specifics should have been easy...right?

"Do Ranma know what color Shampoo eyes are?" Shampoo asked with great anticipation.

"Uhh...of course I do!" replied Ranma, looking at Shampoo's eyes, but she had shut them. "They're...they're...uhh...brown?"

Shampoo opened her eyes, disappointed yet again. "Shampoo eyes red," she stated. Ranma was her rightful husband, yet he couldn't answer such a simple question. "Ranma...do Ranma know what Akane favorite food?"

"Oh yeah, she's crazy about chicken teriyaki," Ranma replied nonchalantly, stretching his arms behind his back. Shampoo grumbled to herself.

"Do Ranma know what color Akane eyes?"

"Of course, they're brown," replied Ranma. "Why you askin'?"

Shampoo sighed to herself. "No reason. Shampoo...Shampoo just wondering," Why did it bother her so much that Ranma didn't know the answer? "Shampoo...Shampoo think go home now. See Ranma later, okay?" Shampoo waved goodbye to Ranma as she made her way back to the Cat Cafe, feeling far more downtrodden than she had intended.

* * *

Shampoo unlocked the front door of the Cat Cafe and slowly entered the darkness. She reached for the light switch and turned it on, illuminating the hallway. The restaurant was eerily quiet. Shampoo remembered great-grandmother would be gone for a few days. She was completely alone. Normally she'd have heard the scuffling of Mousse as he worked at the sink, or need to smack him within 2 minutes of walking through the door because he had yet again tried to declare his love for her. Now, there wasn't a sound inside the vacant building. Shampoo walked through the hall and turned on the lights in the dining room, grumbling at the mess. There was a lot of work to do. She was about to yell for Mousse to help her, only yet again to realize that he wasn't there.

She had taken the fact that Mousse was an extra worker for granted. It took Shampoo more than twice as long now to get her work done. Between busing tables, clearing plates, and washing the dishes, the task seemed almost overwhelming. Shampoo stood at the sink in silence as she washed, her thoughts wandering. Normally Mousse would be standing next to her right now, chattering away like a monkey in a tree while she grumbled at him to shut up. Now the time seemed to just drag on, and Shampoo found herself giving up before she was done. Dishearteningly, she dried off her hands and made her way upstairs above the cafe. She walked into her bedroom as she usually did, gazing around the quiet room, reaching to turn on the lamp by her bed.

Shampoo stopped dead in her tracks when she gazed at her nightstand. She had never really paid much attention to the flowers on it before. They sort of just faded into the background like everything else. It was only when she actually took the time to look that Shampoo realized what kind of flowers they were - white orchids.

_'Mousse_' Shampoo thought to herself, remembering how Mousse had known they were her favorite. She reached out to touch one of the beautiful flowers, and a petal fell onto the night stand. It had never occurred to her before now, but Mousse must have been putting the flowers in her room every morning. '_I'd give her flowers every day. And not just any flowers. Okay? Her favorites are orchids. White.' _Shampoo remembered Mousse saying. He hadn't just _said_ those words - he _meant _them. Her heart sank when she thought of him - all the cruel things she had said, and the kind, considerate things he had before leaving.

Shampoo stared at the ceiling as she lay on the bed, lost in her thoughts. She chuckled to herself when she imagined Mousse fumbling around setting up the flowers, only to feel her heart sink again when she remembered his words in the alley. _'And I'd spend every day thinking of how to make her laugh. __She has the most, most amazing laugh.'_ Mousse always made her laugh. She'd never admit it, but most of the times his antics were far more humorous than annoying. She laid there in bed, staring into the dark, recalling more of the times Mousse had done something silly or ridiculous, and it brought a smile to her face as the memories played out. It was nice having someone from her village around while in Japan. Although she'd never admit it to anyone else, she got quite homesick sometimes. She felt safe in the company of Mousse. Just knowing that he was down the hall was a comforting feeling - a feeling which she had not become aware of until he was gone.

Shampoo sighed and crawled out of bed, walking down the hallway. She entered Mousse's empty bedroom, breathing in the deep scent of musk. She closed her eyes - it was extremely comforting for just a brief moment to imagine Mousse was still here by his scent. She opened her eyes and gazed around the room. Normally there would be assorted weapons on the tables and bedspread that Mousse had not hidden in his robes. The hollow feeling of the room made Shampoo feel incredibly downhearted. She sat down on the empty bed, running her hand over the mattress. If it weren't for the remnants of Mousse's musky scent, it would have been like no one had even lived here at all. She would never see her kind, gentle Mousse ever again. And it was all her fault.

Shampoo went back to her bedroom and leaned against the window, looking up to the heavens. The moon was full tonight, basking the landscape in gentle ambiance._ 'I'd be her shoulder to cry on and her best friend.'_ Shampoo gazed up at the moon longingly, wondering if Mousse could see the very same sight in the starry sky. He had always been there for her, whenever and wherever, no matter what. She'd taken it for granted, because he was _always_ there. Now that he wasn't, she felt barren and empty.

Mousse's speech before his departure _was _beautiful, just as the bystander had said. Shampoo had never heard such heartfelt, true words spoken in her entire life as Mousse did earlier that day. Shampoo was certain that Mousse probably knew every intricate detail about what she liked and how she liked it. How had Mousse known all those little things about her? Ranma wasn't able to answer any of those questions when Shampoo asked him, yet Mousse knew intricate details about her that were special. Shampoo realized _why_ Mousse knew all those things. It was because he loved her.

Shampoo climbed into her bed and curled up under the covers with a deep heartfelt sigh. It was hard, but she eventually drifted off into sleep. Her dreams were filled with memories of Mousse - the good times growing up together, and the cruel way in which she spurned him that day in the cafe when he asked her to come back to China and marry him. She dreamed of what was, and dreamed of what might have been.

Shampoo awoke from sleep, drenched in sweat, filled with fear as she realized she was all alone. Shampoo was overwhelmed by the feeling of not wanting to stay in the Cat Cafe. Before she was even aware of what she was doing, she was headed out the front door into the night. Shampoo was headed to the only place she could think to go - the Tendo Dojo.

* * *

Shampoo made her way up to the front door of the Tendo Dojo. She hesitated for a moment before knocking rapidly, trying to control her urgency. There was a shuffling behind the door as it slowly opened, Ranma's face appearing in the crack. He rubbed his eyes for a moment and yawned.

"Oh..._Shampoo?"_ asked Ranma in question tying his robe. "What are you doing here? It's 3 o'clock in the morning. Is everything alright?" Shampoo sensed the concern in his reply.

"Shampoo just...Shampoo can no sleep," Shampoo said. "Great-grandmother gone for while, and Shampoo alone at Cat Cafe. Shampoo not know where else to go."

"Well, come in then I guess," said Ranma with a stretch and a yawn. "Guess we're both awake now." Shampoo entered the kitchen with Ranma and noticed with disappointment that Akane had awoken too. They sat around the kitchen table in silence. Shampoo was looking down at the wood, her eyelids partially closed. After sitting in silence for a while, a mug of hot tea was pushed in her direction.

"Here, Shampoo," said Akane "Drink up. It'll make you feel better." Shampoo held the mug in her hands, savoring it's warmth on her palms.

Ranma coughed nervously. "So, Shampoo...having a rough night?" he asked.

"Aiyah," Shampoo replied somewhat despairingly. "Shampoo not able to sleep. Now Shampoo find herself at Ranma house."

Akane raised her eyebrows at Shampoo. "_Well, well_, Shampoo. This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Mousse is gone, would it?" Akane asked.

Shampoo scowled at Akane. "What? Who? _Mousse?_ Shampoo not thinking about stupid Mousse!" Shampoo spat. "Shampoo doing good -_ really_ good!" said Shampoo, trying to emphasize her sentiment, clenching her mug.

Ranma cocked his head. "Are you sure? 'Cause you seem like you're doing terrible."

Akane began to chuckle. _"No_, Ranma, you got it all wrong. She's doing _great,_" said Akane sarcastically. "She got what she always wanted, and was right about _everything," _ Shampoo looked down, her face filled with sadness. Akane's words had struck her deeply. "Isn't that right, Shampoo?"

"Uh, Akane? Are we looking at the same person?" Ranma replied in confusion. Akane rolled her eyes at him.

"Yep. She's free to be herself, and free to be by herself, without stupid Mousse around to bother her." said Akane with a smug smile, laying her head on her palms.

Shampoo was silent for some time before she spoke again. "Shampoo...Shampoo messed up, didn't she?" said Shampoo sighing deeply, holding her head in her hands. Akane nodded sympathetically, her eyes softening at Shampoo's realization.

"Yep, sure did," replied Ranma, folding his arms. "Big time." Akane gave him a smack.

"Shampoo not ever there for Mousse...not even once." she sighed sadly.

"You mean like he was? For _you?"_ said Akane, staring intensely into Shampoo's eyes.

"Oh..." replied Shampoo. "Shampoo-Shampoo..." she stumbled. "It-it not matter now. Mousse gone, and Shampoo still here."

_"Actually_, that's not true," said Akane slyly. "I happen to know that Mousse's flight isn't leaving until this morning. He stopped here last night to say goodbye."

"Mousse..._Mousse still here?"_ Shampoo gasped, her eyes widening. "But...Shampoo say horrible things to him. What can Shampoo do now?"

"Just tell him how you feel," said Akane encouragingly, gently touching Shampoo's hand gently. "Shampoo, it's not too late! If you don't do something, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

Shampoo looked up from her mug. "Shampoo...Shampoo need to make right. Shampoo not know if can, but must try. Shampoo got to." Shampoo stood up, a new look of determination on her face.

"Go, Shampoo!" exclaimed Akane excitedly. "There's still time!" She gave Shampoo a hug, and nodded to her in encouragement.

Shampoo nodded back to Akane and ran out of the dojo as fast as her legs would carry her. She had to hurry, before Mousse was gone. _'Please, don't let me be too late!'_ she said to herself. The sun was beginning to rise, filling the sky with pink and orange hues. Shampoo almost felt as if she was outside of her own body, her heart racing as she darted through the streets towards the airport.

* * *

Mousse waited in line as the overhead page called for boarding the flight to China. He had hardly slept that night, having spent it under a bridge. Truthfully, Mousse didn't want to go back home. Yet what reason did he have to stay in Japan? Mousse sighed, overwhelmed by how vacant inside he'd felt since leaving Shampoo and Ranma. He'd never see his beloved Shampoo ever again. How could he? To see her married to another man was a fate worse than death. He'd just have to go back to China and try to start over. Although he knew life would never feel right without Shampoo by his side.

He pulled a weathered picture out of his robe, gazing longingly down at it. It was a picture of Shampoo - she was smiling, wearing one of her Chinese dresses. A tear fell down Mousse's face, and he motioned to toss the photograph in the nearby trash, yet found himself unable to, and he tucked it back into his robes. He couldn't bear to see Shampoo - the heartache was absolutely unbearable. Mousse adjusted his pack and begrudgingly headed towards his gate, not really caring where he ended up.

Mousse was awoken out of his thoughts by a voice calling his name. Mousse shook his head - clearly, he was hearing things, a result of his own deep desires rather than reality. However, the voice came again, this time louder, and more desperate.

"Please, Mousse!_ Stop!"_ cried the voice. Mousse turned around, squinting through his glasses at a purple blur rushing towards him. It was Shampoo!

_"Shampoo?"_ said Mousse in shock. It _couldn't_ be! His heart raced at seeing her just one more time. He'd have given anything in that moment to sweep her into his arms, to hold her close and tell her how much he loved her. Yet he knew that would never be.

_"Mousse, wait!" _Shampoo stumbled up to Mousse and grabbed onto his robe, yanking hard. "Mousse no can do this!" exclaimed Shampoo. "Mousse no can go back to China!"

Mousse raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why not?" said Mousse, his face expressionless, his voice dull and void of emotion.

Shampoo was panting heavily, a death grip on Mousse's robe. "Mousse...Shampoo must know. Did Mousse mean those things Mousse say about Shampoo?" Shampoo asked eagerly.

"Of course I did," Mousse replied sadly, averting his eyes sadly. "But it doesn't matter. Not anymore. Nobody else is loyal, so why should I be? I should have just believed you when you said you didn't want me around." He went to turn away, but Shampoo wouldn't allow it - her fists were clenched for dear life on his clothes.

_"No!"_ Shampoo shouted. "You _shouldn't_ have believed Shampoo! Whatever Shampoo say about that - it _not_ true!" Shampoo took a deep breath as she looked directly into Mousse's eyes. "Mousse...Shampoo was wrong. Shampoo wrong about _everything_. With Mousse gone, Shampoo not feel free at all. Shampoo just..." she paused, choking on her words, her eyes welling up with tears. "Shampoo not free. Without Mousse, Shampoo just _alone_."

Mousse paused for a moment, his eyes still empty and full of sorrow. "It's alright, Shampoo. I'm going back home, back to the Amazon village. Not that it really matters. I'm not of much value to anyone." The despair in his reply made Shampoo tremendously unnerved.

_"Don't_ Mousse say that!" cried Shampoo in frustration. "Mousse have value to _Shampoo," _she paused. "Shampoo...Shampoo missed you." Shampoo said softly.

"I missed you too," replied Mousse. "I always miss you when we're apart."

Shampoo clung to Mousse's robes, refusing to yield. "Mousse go back to China after terrible things Shampoo say. Mousse start over again. Find wife, and have family. Mousse deserve it. Mousse deserve love."

"You deserve it too, Shampoo. I'm just sorry that it can't be with me." Mousse turned to leave again, but was unable to move.

"Mousse, _wait!"_ said Shampoo, refusing to let go of Mousse's robe. "Mousse, _please!_ No can go back to China!"

Mousse sighed. "I'm going, Shampoo, and nothing you say can possibly stop me."

_"No!"_ cried Shampoo as a tear fell down her cheek. "_Shampoo love you_, stupid Mousse! That why no can go!" Shampoo flung herself against Mousse's chest and began to sob.

Mousse was so taken aback at that moment that he couldn't even respond. Did Shampoo just say that she _loved_ him? He must have been hallucinating. He _had_ to have imagined it. Yet there he stood, a pair of small, yet incredibly strong arms wrapped around him.

Shampoo continued to sob into his chest, soaking the front of his robes with tears. "Shampoo thought you leave, Mousse! Stupid Mousse make Shampoo think he never come back again!"

Mousse began to gently stroke her hair, speaking to her softly as Shampoo clasped herself onto him like a tree frog. "It's alright, Shampoo. I'm sorry. I'm here now." He swept Shampoo up into his arms and sat down on a nearby bench. He began to gently stroke her hair again, and she nuzzled against his chest, breathing in his musky scent. It felt good to be held in Mousse's strong embrace, to hear his heartbeat, his voice rumbling deep within his chest as he calmed her.

Shampoo continued to sob as Mousse slowly began to rock her back and forth, whispering soothing words as he gently cradled her. "Shh...it's alright, Shampoo. You're safe now. I'm here." Mousse stroked her hair and held her in his strong arms. He wanted nothing more than to hold and protect her, and for a moment he simply cradled her trembling body as she softly cried into his chest. He was shocked at what was happening right now- Shampoo was weeping, for him. Shampoo's sobs slowly began to subside as he heard her sniffle a bit, wiping her eyes with his robe with trembling hands.

"Mousse...Shampoo thought she lost you," Shampoo cried into his chest. "Thought Mousse go back to China after horrible things Shampoo say."

"Shampoo...you came back for me." Mousse said, still as if he didn't believe Shampoo was actually in his arms. He held her tight in his strong embrace, as if he would never let go.

"Shampoo had to," Shampoo replied with a sob, gripping his chest as she trembled. She began to speak in Mandarin. "I couldn't let you leave, Mousse. I love you."

Mousse beamed ecstatically. He had longed to hear those words from Shampoo for so long now, yet it was more important to him that she felt safe and secure. It had been a long journey for both of them, and he simply wanted to hold Shampoo's shaking body until she felt safe again. He wouldn't be able to let those words sink in until then.

Shampoo looked up from Mousse's chest and gazed deeply into his eyes. "Mousse...I was so scared. As an Amazon warrior, I shouldn't have been, but I couldn't help it. I was scared I would never see you again. That I would have to keep on living without you in my life."

Mousse held her body closer as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Shampoo, I never knew," He caressed her cheek with his hand and wiped a stray tear away from her eye. "I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to."

Shampoo smiled at him as he caressed her cheek. "Shampoo want you to stay." she said, switching back from Mandarin. Mousse actually preferred when she spoke like that. Before she even knew what was happening, she felt a warm sensation as he gently pressed his lips against her. She felt one of his hands come up to cup her face, the other resting lightly on her arm. She was so shocked that she could not even respond.

More importantly, Shampoo was hit by the passion Mousse was pouring into the kiss. The love he was expressing through it was so strong that it made her heart leap. All of Mousse's proposals and overtures to her had been very childlike, his technique had not changed much since he was six, but now...this was no child! Oh no! These were the kisses of a man, a very, very, in love man. He was putting all his years of longing into it. Shampoo was almost overwhelmed by it all. Then, suddenly, Mousse broke it off. His breathing was heavy. Shampoo's face was extremely red from the blush that was in her cheeks, when Mousse spoke again, and braced himself for the beating he was sure to receive.

"Don't hate me, Shampoo. You don't know how long I've waited to do that. How very long."

"Mousse..." Shampoo stuttered, utterly speechless from the passionate kiss, blushing profusely. She brought him to face her. "Oh Mousse, you stupid duck! Don't you know anything? Shampoo love you. Shampoo want to marry you."

He looked at her with slight confusion written on his face. As he opened his mouth to speak, she held up a hand to stop him. Was this actually happening?

"Mousse," she said, leaning towards him, "Shut up and kiss your wife."

Still a little shell-shocked, he held her face in his hands and searched her eyes. She smiled and let him see what was there. Finally, he nodded and joined their lips in a sweet kiss. Slowly, at first, he brushed her lips with his and caressed her face with his fingers. A little impatient, she grabbed his head to hold him still and caressed his lips with her tongue. Suddenly, he exploded and thrust his hands into her hair, pulling Shampoo into his lap. He kissed her deeply and explored her mouth with his tongue, his breathing growing ragged with passion.

It excited her to feel his need for her in his kisses. She kissed him back with all the ferocity of an Amazon woman, running her hands through his thick, ebony locks and down his strong back and chest. Mousse pulled away from her briefly, said the words she longed to hear.

"I love you, my Shampoo," Mousse smiled. "Let's go home. Together."

Mousse and Shampoo walked back to the Cat Cafe from the airport hand in hand. Eventually, after some more kissing, the two fell asleep in each other's arms, knowing that whatever trouble the next day would bring as a result, they would grin and bear it together. As Shampoo lay with her head pillowed against his chest, Mousse fell asleep with the largest grin of his life plastered on his face. His journey was now complete.


End file.
